Straps are commonly used to secure one item to another item, apply loads to items, for example, cinch straps, or for carrying items, for example, the strap on a backpack, briefcase, camera bag or the like. Several forms of devices have been constructed to provide for adjustment of the straps in length and to allow a strap to be separated at ends in a selective manner, to facilitate mounting of an item on an object or person.
One form of such device is called a ladder type lock buckle which has a strap secured to one end of the buckle. The strap is generally attached in a permanent manner, or through the use of additional fastening devices, can be removably attached to one end of a strap. The ladder type buckle is constructed to receive another strap end therein. Typically, the strap is adjustable in the buckle and the buckle is designed to be self locking on the strap to fix the strap at a predetermined length and/or tension. To loosen the strap, one lifts a tab adjacent to the securement member which allows locking teeth to become disengaged from the strap and the person simply moves the strap within the buckle. Such release is difficult through when the user was wearing gloves. Oftentimes, a stop is provided on the strap to prevent the strap from becoming disengaged completely from the buckle. If a stop is used to prevent the free end of the strap from separating from the buckle and a loop is used to attach the other end of the strap to the buckle then the strap could not be readily released by a wearer of the item. Separating one object from another object connected together with such a buckle and strap arrangement is also difficult.
Another form of such buckle is the military style belt buckle that is semi-permanently secured to a normally fixed end of a belt (strap) by an over center toothed locking member. The locking member has a small lever portion with a free end engaging the belt webbing when locked in place while allowing separation of the fixed end of the belt from the buckle. This is cumbersome and very difficult to do in an emergency situation or if the user is wearing gloves or the like. The free end of the belt is inserted through the buckle and engaged by a camming toothed roller locking the belt in place with tension in the belt. To release such a buckle, the user pulls the free end of the belt with one hand, releases the locking roller with the other hand and by holding the locking roller in a position of disengagement with the belt webbing, the free end of the belt can be released from the buckle.
Another type of buckle is a side release buckle. The two halves of the buckle are each attached to a respective strap end. Separation of the buckle halves requires moving two release buttons toward one another with one hand and pulling the buckle halves apart with the other. This is also inconvenient under extreme or emergency conditions.
While effective, in their typical uses, such buckles do not provide for a quick release when the strap ends need to be readily separated particularly with limited motion of a users hand while still providing the convenience of an easy to use buckle allowing easy and sure adjustment of the length of the strap or strap portions.